How Can I Convert an Audio File to a WhatsApp-Compatible Format?

Below are some suggestions to resolve the issue:

1. Verify the Field Settings

Make sure that in your WhatsApp node you’ve:

• Enabled the Binary File option if you are not referencing an existing file on WhatsApp.
• Set the Input Binary Field correctly (e.g. if your file is stored under the field name data, simply enter data rather than an expression such as {{ $json.data }}).

This prevents n8n from accidentally sending an unsupported field value.

2. Convert the Audio File Format

If the file from ChatGPT isn’t in a format that WhatsApp accepts, you’ll need to convert it. n8n doesn’t perform file conversion natively for the WhatsApp node, so you can use an external tool like FFmpeg. WhatsApp generally supports common audio formats such as MP3 or, in some cases, AAC.

For example, you can add an Execute Command node in your workflow to convert the file. Assuming your original file is stored in a binary field (for example, data), you might do something like this:

BASHCopied
ffmpeg -i input_file.ext output_file.mp3

To do that in n8n:

1. Write the binary file to disk (using an appropriate node or custom code) and note the file path.

2. Use the Execute Command node to run FFmpeg. For instance:

   BASHCopied
   ffmpeg -i /path/to/input_file.ext /path/to/output_file.mp3

3. Read the new file (for example, using a Read Binary File node) and set it as the input for your WhatsApp Send Audio operation.

3. Update the WhatsApp Node

Once you have the converted audio file available, update your WhatsApp node accordingly:
 

• Enable the Binary File option.
• Set the Input Binary Field (make sure the value now points to your converted file’s field, such as “data”).

Summary

1. Check your node configuration for binary file settings to ensure you’re not inadvertently sending the wrong value.
2. Convert the audio file externally (e.g. via FFmpeg) to a supported format (e.g. MP3).
3. Use the converted file as input in the WhatsApp node.

This should resolve the file type error when sending audio via WhatsApp. Let me know if you need any further assistance!